1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of door extensions for vehicle doors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Specifically, doors of vehicles such as a van or minivan are well known in the art. However, none of the prior art vehicle doors are designed and constructed as door extensions with composite materials for use in conjunction with vehicle doors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,097 issued to Wycech on Aug. 29, 1989 discloses a lightweight composite automotive door beam and method of manufacturing same. The reinforcing beam includes an open channel-shaped metal member with a longitudinal cavity which is filled with a reinforcing polymeric material which in one aspect is a thermoset or thermoplastic resin-based material. The composite beam includes end pieces which are adapted to be mounted to a vehicle door panel in a door cavity. The horizontally mounted beam provided substantially increased resistance to side impacts to the vehicle door in the event of a collision. The beam is mounted between the window glass space and the inner door panel for flush-glass vehicle doors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,562 issued to Wycech on Dec. 18, 1990 discloses a composite tubular door beam reinforced with a syntactic foam core localized at the mid-span of the tube. The reinforcing beam includes a metal tube with a longitudinal cavity which is partially filled with a reinforcing polymeric core which in one aspect includes a thermoset or thermoplastic resin-based material. The core is friction fit or mechanically held within the metal tube at the mid-span of the tube. The composite beam includes end pieces which are adapted to be mounted to a vehicle door panel in a door cavity. The horizontally mounted beam provides substantially increased resistance to side impacts to the vehicle door in the event of a collision.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,186 issued to Wycech on Jun. 23, 1992 discloses a composite tubular door beam reinforced with a reacted core localized at the mid-span of the tube. The reinforcing beam includes a metal tube with a longitudinal cavity which is partially filled with either a reinforcing polymeric core which in one aspect includes a thermoset or thermoplastic resin-based material or a cementitious core which includes Portland cement and a filler. The reacted core is friction fit or mechanically held within the metal tube at the mid-span of the tube. The composite beam includes end pieces which are adapted to be mounted to a vehicle door panel in a door cavity. The horizontally mounted beam provides substantially increased resistance to side impacts to the vehicle door in the event of a collision.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,632 issued to Djavairian et al. on Jul. 5, 1994 discloses a composite door assembly. It includes a tailored steel inner panel, a composite outer body panel, a belt-line reinforcement member which separates the inner and outer door panels along the bottom edge of the window opening and an intrusion beam. The tailored steel inner panel and the composite outer panel are adhered together. The reinforcement member is disposed between the inner and outer panels to enhance the shock absorbing characteristics of the vehicle door during collision.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,774 issued to Lynch et al. on Jun. 16, 1998 discloses a molded core component. It includes a center plane piece and at least one wall extending from the center plane piece. The wall includes contours which form a plurality of pods, cells or protrusions integral with the center plane piece.
It is highly desirable to have a very efficient and also very effective design and construction for a composite door extension for vehicle doors. It is also desirable to provide an upper door extension which conforms with a side door frame recess.